Joy Crookes Delivers An Important And Poignant Message On "Anyone But Me"

Joy Crookes Delivers An Important And Poignant Message On "Anyone But Me"


April 09, 2020

South London soul singer/songwriter Joy Crookes has released her new single "Anyone But Me", which gives us an artist fearless enough to show off her most vulnerable moments.

Using her blissful vocals, she explores her own experiences with mental health, highlighting her struggles with depression. This is a brave direction for Joy Crookes to take her music in and one that we can all admire. Her soothing tone is welcoming and it allows us to tune in and really understand her story. Crucially, it's also offers a moment of solidarity to anyone who might be going through something similar.

In an Instagram post from yesterday, Joy explained: "I've suffered from mental health issues since I was young. Where I grew up, this wasn't a topic you would bring up when your mum was fixing you a plate of dal or when your mates were showing you how to flirt with boys and girls, so when I had my first episode of depression I didn't really know where to turn to. It's taken me a long time, and I am still learning how to completely articulate what goes on in my mind. Being able to have these important conversations with my friends and then my family has been challenging and I guess that's why I always turned to music.

"Music has a way to soften the blow with topics like mental health — it can make situations that seem completely out of reach, tangible — especially when you feel like you're living with another version of yourself. Learning to be more open, I had a conversation with my best friend who pointed out that when we are dealing with depression and anxiety — we almost become tired of constantly being with ourselves — you want to be with anyone BUT yourself.

"This is the position I took when I wrote 'Anyone But Me'. The lyrics speak for themselves. I hope we can all continue breaking down boundaries that stretch between generations and cultures and continue this conversation about how we really feel."

Joy puts her all into her music and from the polished nature and artistic edge that she so frequently provides, we can see that music is a healthy outlet for the young star.



Words: Jordan Lolomari
Photography: Kiran Gidda


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